According to the last update issued by WHO on Friday, the number of confirmed cases across Paraguay has risen by six to 22. So far the disease has taken the toll of six lives while another 12 suspected cases are under investigation by health authorities.
With the assistance of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), officials from Paraguay, Brazil, Uruguay, Venezuela, Bolivia and Peru agreed at a recent joint meeting to coordinate and monitor the spread of yellow fever immunization activities across the country.
The disease spreads through Aedes aegypti mosquitoes found throughout the region and the officials now hope to reduce the breeding sites for the mosquito. Yellow fever (also called yellow jack, black vomit or vomito negro, or sometimes American Plague) is an acute viral disease. It is an important cause of hemorrhagic illness in many African and South American countries despite existence of an effective vaccine.
It derives its name from the jaundice that affects some sufferers, who tend to experience fever, muscle pain, headaches, loss of appetite, vomiting and/or nausea. While most patients recover, the disease can be deadly and the number of infected people has risen in recent years, despite the availability of an effective vaccine.
As of 2001, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that yellow fever causes 200,000 illnesses and 30,000 deaths every year in unvaccinated populations.
